As is commonly known, one of the health problems most prevelant in especially the United States of America is that of overweight. This, in turn, has given rise to the establishment of many so-called health studios, health spas and fad-type diets along with the publication of many books usually for the sole purpose of providing either services or instructions by which one can reduce weight. Currently, the latest diet fad is what is referred to as the "liquid protein" diet whereby, in the main, the dieter consumes what amounts to pre-digested protein in liquid form.
With very few exceptions (such as, for example, body water retention) the only way in which a person gains weight is by consuming more calories than are required by the body metabolism for maintaining the required energy level. Accordingly, it frequently happens that a person who has, for example, attended a health spa or has faithfully followed some properly prescribed diet plan and consequently reduced body weight to the desired amount finds that weight is again being gained. This is attributable to the fact that the person, even though initially succeeding in weight reduction, has not in fact learned (during the weight reduction program) proper eating habits. Therefore, even though the weight reduction program was successfully completed, subsequently, improper eating habits again result in the gaining of weight. Such weight gain may be comparatively slow; for example, one ounce per day is not noticed from a day-to-day basis; however, over a six month span of time such would amount to a little over eleven pounds. Obviously, for a person whose desired body weight is 110 lbs., such a rate of weight gain means a 10% increase in six months and a 20% increase in a year.
Accordingly, the problem of maintaining proper body weight is a factor which often results in excessive body weight. It is a rather common experience to see or hear dieters as in, for example, a restaurant counting the caloric values of the various specific items of foods served to them. Experience has shown that such "calorie counters" continually have weight problems and really never do learn proper eating habits in that their mental focus is continually on the caloric value of a food rather than on the food per se. It is somewhat akin to one attempting to describe a rainbow by listing the wave lengths of the color spectrum comprising the rainbow rather than, for example, actually seeing the rainbow.
Not only are calories important, it is also important to obtain the calories by a variety of foods selected as to provide the proper nutritional value to the body. Also, it is known that even though when measured over a twenty-four hour span there is a maximum amount of calorie intake (for any particular person) that additional benefits are derived if such total calorie intake is consumed in selected foods and selected amounts at specified intervals during such a twenty-four hour span. Accordingly, it can be seen that the typical "calorie counter" does not achieve these goals since being concerned with calories to the exclusion of all other factors will not achieve a proper diet regardless of the ultimate purpose of such diet.
Further, it has become apparent that many "calorie counters" finally abandon their diets merely because they find it to be drudgery to continue.
Accordingly, the invention as herein disclosed and claimed is primarily concerned with and directed to the elimination of problems and shortcomings attendant the heretofore manner of establishing and practicing diets and diet plans.